Five Things: David Carroll

Five Things I Can’t Live Without

David Carroll, Executive Director of Albany Institute of History & Art

Story and photos by Suzanne Kawola/Life@Home

Both of David Carroll’s parents were computer-science engineers, and, initially, he followed in their footsteps. Carroll, who grew up in Colorado, got his first job as a computer programmer for United Airlines in Seattle, where he and his colleagues would fly to various random destinations. During one of their first trips, to Philadelphia, Carroll walked by the Rodin Museum, where he saw the iconic statue, “The Thinker.”

“(I) said to my friends, ‘Gosh, we should really go in!,’” he says. None of them were up for it. So he got up early in the morning and went by himself. “It was a transformation for me,” he says.

On each trip, Carroll sought out museums. “I started to really love that connection with the objects,” he says. As he shared his experiences with his parents, they would respond, “What are you talking about? Art and history? We’re science people!”

After volunteering for a local art gallery, he decided to switch careers and enrolled at Indiana University to study arts administration. “I really believe this is what I want to do with my life,” says Carroll. So far, he’s worked at museums in Chicago and in Colorado. Last year, in September, he was appointed executive director at the Albany Institute of History and Art. “(I) wake up every day loving what I do,” he says.’

Davids’s Five Things:

1. My Sneakers: “I wouldn’t say I’m as much of a runner, but I am a walker. I’ve always walked my dog … as a time for me to think and to contemplate the day. My father always used to get up very early and if I wanted to spend time with my father — and I had to be quiet — I could walk with him.”

2. My Records and Turntable: Part of Carroll’s career was spent working at both the Museum of Contemporary Photography and The Art Institute of Chicago. “I got involved with some jazz musicians. They would go down to this old record store and we would all sit around and listen to them.” Carroll says he’s not as musical but loved being around the musicians. He plays a little jazz clarinet but is humbled by what he knows is possible. His turntable is one of the few items that has been with him since his first career.

3. My Denver Broncos Hat: “I know the New York fans may not be as happy with me that I am a Broncos fan, but I grew up in Denver. And, when I grew up … it was really the only sport that really anybody cared about. I think, in some ways, sports can also bind a city together. I will go to a local sports bar and try to watch the Denver Broncos play. They remind me of my family, they remind me of growing up.”

4. Coffee: “It’s part of my morning ritual. I enjoy the interaction with the coffee folks, the people who work behind the counter and myself. I enjoy that community of them knowing me and me knowing them. As I walk through the front door, they know what I want.”

5. My American-Made Wristwatch Collection: “I collect American-made wristwatches. I guess I feel that’s a little unique in a time of iPads and iPhones.” Pointing to the 1950s Ball watch on his wrist, he says, “The important thing about that watch is that Ball watches were one of the first pocket watches that were used when railroads became popular for personal transportation. So to be ‘on the Ball,’ was to be on the right time for the train.” He has four watches of various American makes, and his intention is to eventually own seven: one for each day of the week. It’s all about patience, he says. “The exciting part of collecting is you may run into that one that you have been looking for.”